Overview

For nearly two centuries, the authorship of William Shakespeare's plays has been challenged by writers and artists as diverse as Sigmund Freud, Mark Twain, Henry James, Helen Keller, Orson Welles, Malcolm X, and Sir Derek Jacobi. How could a young man from rural Warwickshire, lacking a university education, write some of the greatest works in the English language? How do we explain the seemingly unbridgeable gap between Shakespeare's life and works? Contested Will unravels the mystery of Shakespeare's authorship, retracing why and when doubts first arose, what's at stake in the controversy for how we value Shakespeare's achievement, and why, in the end, there can be no doubt about who wrote the plays.

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9798200110025

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Reviews

"With lucid writing for the common reader, with sense, and with respect toward those with whom he rightly disagrees, Shapiro tells how this whole mishegas got started, and then, with unbelievable patience, shows how it has not a shred of a breath of a hope of being anything.-- ""Philadelphia Inquirer"" ""Contested Will is a masterful work of literary history, an empathetic chronicle of eccentricity, and a calmly reasoned vindication of 'the Stratford man.'"" -- ""Boston Globe"" ""A thorough, engaging work."" -- ""Kirkus Reviews"" ""As Shapiro admirably demonstrates, William Shakespeare emerges with his name and reputation intact."" -- ""Publishers Weekly (starred review)"" ""Entertainingly combative."" -- ""San Francisco Chronicle"" ""Shapiro's lucid and fair-minded account and McCaddon's exemplary narration combine to make this work accessible to anyone who loves Shakespeare."" -- ""AudioFile"" ""The book is rich with insight and analysis. Shapiro's examination...is sensitive and convincing."" -- ""Wall Street Journal"" ""With lucid writing for the common reader, with sense, and with respect toward those with whom he rightly disagrees, Shapiro tells how this whole mishegas got started, and then, with unbelievable patience, shows how it has not a shred of a breath of a hope of being anything."" -- ""Philadelphia Inquirer"""

Author Information

James Shapiro is the Larry Miller Professor of English at Columbia University. He is the author of four books, including A Year in the Life of William Shakespeare: 1599, which won the BBC Samuel Johnson Prize in the United Kingdom, given annually for an outstanding work of nonfiction. His other titles include Oberammergau and Shakespeare and the Jews. Wanda McCaddon (d. 2023) narrated well over six hundred titles for major audiobook publishers, sometimes with the pseudonym Nadia May or Donada Peters. She earned the prestigious Audio Award for best narration and numerous Earphones Awards. She was named a Golden Voice by AudioFile magazine. Wanda McCaddon (d. 2023) narrated well over six hundred titles for major audiobook publishers, sometimes with the pseudonym Nadia May or Donada Peters. She earned the prestigious Audio Award for best narration and numerous Earphones Awards. She was named a Golden Voice by AudioFile magazine.

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